Apparatus for continuously processing strands



E. T. LORIG APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PROCESSING STRANDS Dec 23, 1952 Filed May 10, 1949 INVENTOR. EDWIN T. LORIG ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES was ATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PROCESSING STRANDS Edwin Ti. Lorig,

Ross Township,

Allegheny Application May 10, 1949, Serial No. 92,347

This invention relates to apparatus for continuously processing strands, especially wire and hot or cold rolled strip. Continuous annealing and removal of work strain from wire and strip, such as cold reduced strip for electrical purposes, is now done at high cost and extremely slow speed in catinary, roller bottom type and vertical multiple pass tower type furnaces.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide apparatus for annealing or otherwise processing wire and strip at much higher speeds than is now commercially possible.

This and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus of my invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a slightly different modification of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a furnace having a continuous strand helical conveying reel 4 extending axially therethrough with its ends extending from each end of the furnace. The reel 4 is preferably of the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 80,673, filed March 10, 1949. As disclosed in my copending application, each convolution of strand in contact with the reel is conveyed thereover in a true helical path. This is accomplished by means of the axially movable members 5 which form part of the outer periphery of the reel and move the strand in a single layer axially across the face of the reel. The strip or Wire S to be processed is fed to the left hand end of the reel 4 and fed from the right hand end. The right hand end of the reel 3 extends a considerable distance from the furnace 2 to provide a cooling zone.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The strip S to be heated is fed to the left hand end of the furnace 2 and as the strip passes through the furnace it is heated the desired amount. After passing through the furnace, the strip is cooled on the reel before passing therefrom. The equipment may be used to heat treat wire and strip for high speed driying and cooling of painted, lacquer-ed, enameled or lithographed strip.

Figure 3 shows a slightly different embodiment of my invention in which furnace 6 is made larger than the furnace 2 and is provided with two reels 3 which may be similar to reels 4, or

2 Claims. (Cl. 263-3) in some instances, similar to the reels disclosed in my copending applications, Serial No. 85,699, filed April 5, 1949, now Patent No. 2,589,411, and Serial No. 86,375, filed April 8, 1949 now Patent Patent No. 2,576,233. This arrangement permits more strip in the furnace at one time, thus increasing the speed of the process. The strip S is fed to one of the reels 8 at one end thereof and is fed from the other of the reels at the opposite end thereof. Also, this equipment can be used in conjunction with the coating of the strip by coating one side of the strip before it enters the furnace, drying the coating on the first reel, coating the opposite side of the strip after it leaves the first reel, and returning the strip to the second reel with the surface in contact therewith being the first coated surface.

While several embodiments of my invention have been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for continuously processing an elongated strand comprising a furnace, a continuous strand helical conveying reel extending axially through said furnace with its ends extending therefrom, the outer surface of said reel being parallel to its axis, said strand being fed to said reel at one end thereof, the other end of said reel extending from said furnace to provide a cooling zone, said strand being fed from said reel at the end opposite the feed end, axially movable members forming part of the outor periphery of said reel for moving said strand in a single layer axially across the face of the reel with spaced apart convolutions, said strand passing around said reel a plurality of times in a true helical path.

2. Apparatus for continuously processing an elongated strand comprising a furnace, a pair of spaced apart and parallel disposed continuous strand helical conveying reels extending axially through said furnace with their ends extending therefrom, the outer surface of each of said reels being parallel to its axis, said strand being fed to the first of said reels at one end thereof and passing around said reels a plurality of times in a true helical path with one side in contact with the surface of the first reel and the other side in contact with the surface of the second reel, said strand being fed from the second of said reels at the end opposite the feed end, and axially movable members forming part of the outer periphery of each of said reels for moving said 3 strand in a single layer axially across the face Number of the reel with spaced apart convolutions. 1,302,843 1,397,603 EDWIN T. LORIG. 1,901,920 5 1,902,039 REFERENCES CITED 2,040,343 The following references are of record in the 2,251,212 file of this patent: 2,283,798

UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 Number Name Date er 423,445 Roberts Mar. 18, 1890 595364 1,243,443 Peirce Oct. 16, 1917 Name Date Peirce May 6, 1919 Peirce Nov. 22, 1921 McMullan Mar. 21, 1933 McLaughlin Mar. 21, 1933 Simons et a1. May 12, 1936 Grogan July 29, 1941 Delano May 19, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Apr. 13, 1934 

